Raimondo Must Draw a Line in the Contaminated Soil - Guest MINDSETTER™ Maxwell
Sunday, October 18, 2020
Governor Raimondo speaking at the announcement of the selection of the contractor Barletta Engineering January, 2018
Imagine this Rhode Islanders - a Massachusetts contractor is a low bidder on one of our state’s largest infrastructure project worth hundreds of millions. That contractor then willfully (or forcefully) hauls in contaminated soil to that project.
The contractor, Barletta Engineering and Heavy Machine, posted a performance bond as surety that they will execute the project lawfully. They allegedly have not. Hence, their equipment should already have left the state and RIDOT should have already triggered their bond to pay for the balance of the work and any remediation efforts. This is open and shut. Unless of course, removing this contractor and going after their bond would trigger an investigation by insurers – one that would get to the bottom of just what happened before a penny was surrendered?
GET THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS HERE -- SIGN UP FOR GOLOCAL FREE DAILY EBLASTThe RIDOT Director’s silence is an indicator that he may be complicit in this egregious and reckless action that has put our citizens and, in particular, one innocent family in harm’s way. Remember, soils were not only hauled in from a point in Boston, but also from a RIDOT-controlled location in Central Falls.
My vast number of reliable and credible sources within current and former ranks of DOT assure me that Barletta, specifically its “boots on the ground” management at 6/10, wouldn’t bring so much as a tablespoon of contaminated soil to that job site unless it was authorized by someone. That said, Barletta did haul it in, and unless there are yet to be discovered reasons, must be held accountable and fired. If they are not to blame, in other words, if they were ordered or enabled to bring in the soil, the bonding company will get to the bottom of that. Remember, Rhode Island’s leadership blocked an insurance claim for the financial crimes of the 38 Studios scandal solely to prevent a “whodunnit” deep dive. Are we at a similar crossroads here?
This scandal reaches the Governor who has surrendered full control of RIDOT to Peter Alviti and his supporters who are, of course, her most staunch supporters. But this is no tangled web. It is, in fact, a problem with a very easy solution. Governor Raimondo must giver her DOT Director an ultimatum: It’s either you, Mr. Alviti, or Barletta!
So will Raimondo do the right thing or succumb to the pressure to “bury” this issue and protect those who put her in office. Or better yet, will she run out the clock with the hope that a November 4 presidential decision escalates her to DC and takes her off the hook of accountability to all Rhode Islanders.
Chris Maxwell is the President of the RI Trucking Association
Related Articles
- EXCLUSIVE: Union Official Says RIDOT Allows Contractor to Illegally Dump Contaminates at 6/10 Site
- Council President Matos Calls on DOT and DEM to Address “Preventable Danger” at 6/10 Project
- RI State Police Open Criminal Investigation Into Alleged Contamination at 6/10 Project
- RIDOT Refuses to Allow Access to 6/10 Site for Independent Soil Samples
- UPDATED: DEM Hazardous Investigation Team Deployed to 6/10 Project, Testing for More Contamination
- Teamsters Quit RI Building Trades Council Over Dispute Regarding Barletta, Contractor on 6/10
- NEW: RIDOT Announces Removal of Contaminated Soil at 6/10 Project After GoLocal Investigation
- 6/10 Investigation: RIDOT Fails to Notify Neighbors of Contaminants - Children Live Just Feet Away
- Federal Investigators Now Probing Contamination at $410 Million 6/10 Project
- Coalition of 15 Groups Call for “Immediate Halt” of 6/10 Construction Over Concerns of Contamination
- EXCLUSIVE: U.S. Justice Dept. Issues Subpoenas Relating to Contamination at RIDOT’s 6/10 Project
- RI State and Providence Police Pull Details Off 6/10 Connector Worksite Over Contamination Concerns
- Questions Emerging About Investigation of Alleged Contamination at 6/10 Project
